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You know, a lot of people don’t realize all of the love (and sweat and tears) that go into running a small business. Sure, by now everyone’s read about the nonexistent weekends and the many nights spent burning...

It’s the holidays; nobody’s got time for making homemade pasta right now. Maybe not nobody, but at least I don’t…especially since I haven’t really learned how to make homemade pasta, though it’s on my 2017 to-do list. But even if you’re not making it from scratch, that’s no reason to skimp on the star of the show. Fortunately for this recipe, the star of the show isn’t just great, it’s actually store-bought and…gasp, frozen!! Yes, frozen. I know, I was shocked too, but honestly you’d never be able to tell…it’s that good.

Along with the pasta being picked from the frozen aisle, another surprise is that today’s recipe is an incredibly easy, under-30 minute meal! I know what you’re thinking: there’s no way. But here’s my secret: I used Whole Foods organic frozen butternut squash ravioli, and while those were boiling away, I simply sauted and fried up a few of my favorite seasonal additions: sautéed cremini mushrooms and fried sage with fresh pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, shaved parmesan cheese…all doused in a brown butter sauce (#YUM). Literally, from prep to plate, we’re talking 20 minutes, 30 tops.

The recipe is simple; cook the ravioli per package directions, and as it’s boiling, saute your mushrooms in a pan with a bit of butter. When cooked, remove the mushrooms and set aside. You’ll use that same pan to fry the sage next (it sounds harder than it is). Fried sage simply means dropping the sage leaves into a hot pan full of oil and letting them fry for 15 seconds.

Finally, you’ll want to start on your brown butter sauce. This step takes about five minutes, and while the butter is browning you can begin plating. To plate your dish, begin with the cooked raviolis and top with mushrooms and fried sage. After the butter is done browning, drizzle on top. Next, add your fresh/cold ingredients: pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, shaved parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little fresh sage to add some greenery to the plate. Voila! So quick. So simple. So good. Truly, MKR

P.S. A quick tip as you’re plating: the raviolis will get cool faster than your other warm ingredients, so try to time it accordingly. You want those soft raviolis to be warm!

In the meantime, slice cremini mushrooms into 1/4 inch strips and sautee them in a pan with butter.

Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside on a paper towel.

Use the same pan to fry 3/4 of your fresh sage (bring oil to a frying temperature and drop sage in for 30 seconds. Set aside.

Make your brown butter sauce: start melting butter over medium heat. Use a pan with a light-colored bottom so you can keep track of the color. Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Should take about 5 minutes. You don't want to over-burn it.

Drizzle brown butter onto ravioli, mushrooms and fried sage.

Top with pumpkin seeds, pomegranate, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Today’s salad—besides being beautiful to look at—is a fresh and flavorful side that belongs on your table all season long. Sweet, roasted delicata squash pairs perfectly with wintry, fresh pomegranate seeds and bitter arugula.

But before I proceed, are you thinking, ‘what is delicata squash?’?! Well, we recently fell in love with this wonderful vegetable after Kat’s visit to a local farm with Fresh Harvest found at our local Whole Foods. It’s a winter squash, a lot like butternut or acorn squash but more flavorful and sweeter…almost like a sweet potato. It grows to have a cylinder shape, with green stripes you can easily spot in the grocery store. Its rind is delicate, and it’s actually where most of the flavor is; roasting delicata squash with the skin-on will intensify its warm, sweet, irresistible flavor.

Now, if you can’t find delicata squash in your local grocery store, sub it out for acorn squash…it’s just as good with the rest of this stellar salad’s lineup. Think rainbow quinoa, pomegranate seeds, arugula, candied walnuts and herb goat cheese (I make my own with herbs from my garden; it’s super easy to mix the herbs into good quality goat cheese but you can also easily grab an herb goat cheese at the grocery store in the gourmet aisle). I think you’ll find that this salad is just the thing that belongs on your table all winter long; the mixture of textures and flavors is divine. I’m huge on hitting sweet-savory-salty-crunchy-soft-tangy all in one bite, and this salad does just that.

To make, I simply roast the squash in my toaster oven with a drizzle of olive oil. I roast until the squash is golden brown (about 15 minutes) and actually cut it in half afterwards. After that, I add the cooked rainbow quinoa, pomegranate seeds, arugula and herb goat cheese to the mix. To dress the salad, I usually like to use a spicy honey, some sort of a berry vinaigrette or even a mustard vinaigrette if I’m leaning a little more on the savory-spicy side. This salad can make even a non-salad eater as happy as can be this holiday season! Truly, MKR

Roast the squash in a toaster oven with olive oil drizzled on it. After it starts to brown (about 15 minutes) take it out, and cut in half, gutting the inside. You don't want to eat the seeds in the salad.

You know I’m all about capturing that warm and cozy feeling that comes with the season. So the second I heard “red wine hot chocolate” breathed in the same sentence, I knew I had to try it. I mean red wine and chocolate, it’s a no-brainer perfect pairing. And is it just me, or is this the year for crazy inventive cocktail; remember the rose slushy and our boozy apple cider slushies?!

Anyway, back to our Red Wine Hot Chocolate. Of course, you really just had me at “wine” (find my top 12 under $30), but you also had my curiosity piqued with the thought of mixing any kind of vino with ooey-gooey dark chocolate and marshmallows. So with that, I got down to business and began taste-testing, and quickly found out just how much of an indulgence this seasonal cocktail was.

See, naturally, red wine hot chocolate is rich. So this isn’t the kind of cocktail recipe to pull out for a batch drink at your holiday party. It is, however, an exemplary dessert drink. Or a get-cozy-in-front-of-a-fire-and-read-a-book drink. Plus a bonus: it smells absolutely heavenly when you’re making it.

With my recipe, I kept it simple by using a full-bodied, flavorful cabernet sauvignon (high price point Silver Oak low price point Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend) …save your favorite pinot noir for dinner tonight. The only other ingredients you’ll need: milk, dark chocolate chips or flakes, and marshmallows of course. It’s seriously that simple to whip up. Find the full recipe below, but tell me: will you be cozying up with a mug of red wine hot chocolate this season?! Truly, MKR